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U.S. Catholic, the Chicago-based magazine published by the Claretians, has put out a special election issue for October featuring an interview with the major parties’ presidential candidates based on questions submitted to each of them by e-mail.

The questions answered by Republican Sen. John McCain and Democratic Sen. Barack Obama cover a wide range of topics such as abortion, stem-cell research, the death penalty, economy, the environment, health care and immigration. Claretian Father John Molyneux, the magazine’s editor, said he was pleased the candidates took the time to address concerns of Catholic voters. He also said the interview with presidential candidates is a first for the 73-year-old magazine.

“The Catholic Church’s positions don’t fit neatly with either of the two parties,” the priest said in a statement. “Our strong commitment to respect for life is complemented by an equally proud tradition of Catholic social teaching which promotes social justice, a preferential option of the poor, the common good, and peace.”

I’ve taken a lot of tours over the decades, from an audio-guided exploration of Alcatraz near San Francisco to a human-directed excursion through the seedy streets of London for a Jack the Ripper expedition.

But when I took a trip through the Vatican Museums with an art history professor named Elizabeth Lev, I felt like I experienced the mother of all tours.

Her enthusiasm for art, history, philosophy and theology was infectious as she took us on a journey through a Christian time capsule. She used the stone, canvas, architecture and painted walls and ceilings as props in conveying the stories of Nero, St. Peter, Michelangelo and more popes than I could possibly mention.

In the former papal apartments leading up to the Sistine Chapel, Lev showed us how the artist Raphael married reality with spirituality, and philosophy with theology.

I have to admit, I hate crowds and don’t go through tourist attractions often because I dislike being crammed into rooms with too many other people. But Lev made enduring the swarm of sightseers worthwhile and the lessons learned became one of the highlights of the seminar.